THEIR HEIGHT, FORM, AND STRENGTH. 165 



man of Punch, or of the Dublin University 

 Magazine. 



VI. There are fourteen portraits, " drawn from 

 life" by John M'Elheran, M.R.C.S.E., of the 

 Connacht fisherman of the Claddagh, Gal way, in 

 vol. 2 of the Ulster Journal of Archceology, pp. 

 160, 161. In his article the author says "The 

 people of the Claddagh are, in my opinion, purely 

 Irish, of the most ancient Celtic type." The names 

 of the men portrayed are Irish, except that of 

 Barrett. " They are not Spanish, as anyone might 

 see at a glance, and it is astonishing to me how 

 the theory of their Spanish origin could have kept 

 ground so long ; their physique is exactly the same 

 as that of the peasantry in Connemara and Clare. 

 Like the Celtic peasantry of the South (of Ireland), 

 generally they have variety of complexion, although 

 the features are of the same type." All are portraits 

 of comely men, except one which is an anonymous 

 Arran man " of Danish type ; " five have slightly 

 Roman noses, five Grecian, four slightly " Celestial." 

 VII. A confirmation of the fine form attributed to 

 the Irishmen of old, by English and other foreign 

 writers, may be found in the photographs: 1st. 

 Of the two tug-of-war teams of the Dublin Metro- 

 politan Police; 2nd. Of that of the Belfast Con- 

 stabulary (mostly Munster men) ; and, perhaps, 3rd. 



